| Introduction |
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| Credits |
| Errata |
| Introduction |
| What's Changed? |
| How Does This Fit My Campaign? |
| Is Psionics Magical? |
What's Changed?[]
This book contains five major revisions to the original AD&D psionics rules:
- The psionicist is a character class. Characters cannot pick up a psionic power here and there just because they have a superior brain. Psionicists are extraordinary characters who develop their powers through arduous training (while members of other classes may occasionally boast a psionic power or two, such characters are mere shadows of true psionicists). An NPC psionicist has the potential to stand his own against any other class. As a PC in a team of adventurers, the psionicist will complement other classes well. Most of the psionicist's powers are unique. He advances slowly, at a rate somewhere between the fighter and mage. At low levels, however, the psionicist has the potential to be powerful.
- The list of psionic powers is greatly expanded. Original rules included a menu of 50 powers. This book has over 150.
- Psionic powers are organized differently. All psionic powers are grouped into six disciplines: clairsentience (expanded senses), psychokinesis (moving matter through space), psychometabolism (altering the body), psychoportation (psionic travel), telepathy (mind-to-mind contact), and metapsionics (an advanced discipline). Within each discipline are major powers, called "sciences," and minor powers, called "devotions." Characters can only learn powers from the disciplines they have access to. At 1st level, a character has access to only one discipline, but with experience he gains access to more.
- Psionic powers are treated much like proficiencies. Psionic powers do not work automatically. A power is essentially a skill, and using it properly requires a power check.
- Psionic strength points are not divided into attack, defense, and generic batches. All of a character's psionic strength points come from a single pool.
Numerous other changes, both major and minor, have been made. To avoid confusion, players are urged to read this book carefully.
How Does This Fit My Campaign?[]
There's no reason why adding psionics to an existing campaign should disrupt anything. As a class, psionicists are no more or less powerful than any other. Guidelines on how to introduce psionics without trauma are given in Chapter 9.
Remember, everything in this book is optional; none of it is part of the core of the AD&D game. If something in here doesn't suit a particular campaign, rule it out.
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